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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. J. GILOHRIST.

MACHINE FOR RAISING PHOSPHATE ROCK.

No. 352,311. Patented Nov. 9, 1886.

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D. J. GILCHRIST.

MACHINE FOR RAISING PHOSPHATE ROCK.

v Patented N09, 1886.

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A TTORIVEYS N. PEIERS. Fhalo'flthographen Wuhinglcn. D C.

IIN Tsn STATES P TENT OFFICE."

DANIEL'J. GILOHBIST, OF BERGEN POINT, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR RAiSlNG PHOSPHATE ROCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,311, dated November 9,1886.

I Application filed March 5, 1886. Serial No. 194,179. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL J. GInonRIsr, of Bergen Ioint, Hudson county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Raising Phosphate Rock, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved machine for loosening the phosphate rock on the beds of rivers and raising the loosened rock to the surface, which.

raising the greater portion ofthe rock loos ened by the blades on the shaft at the front of the scow, all as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter, and pointed out in the "claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of my improved machine for raising phosphate rock, parts being'br'okeu out and others in section. Fig. 2 is a planview of the same. 'Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the front transverse shaft for loosening the rock,and the blades on the same. Fig. 4 is a front View of part of thesame, showing the blades. Fig. 5 is a top view of one of the buckets of the side elevators. Fig. 6 is alongitudinal sectional elevation ofthe same. Fig. 7 is a view of the open end. Fig. 8isa crossseetional view of one of the buckets of the rear bucket-chain and a side view of the pentagon pulley over which the chain passes. Fig. 9 is a plan view of part of a bucket on thechain.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

On each side of the seowor float Aa heavy metal frame, B, is hung in such amanner that they are inclined downward and toward the front, and the lower end of each frame can be raised or lowered, so that the frames have any desired inclination. In the lower ends of said frames B a shaft, 0, is journaled, which extends from one side of the scow to the other,at and below the front of the scow, and said shaft is provided with two opposite longitudinal grooves, O, for receiving the teeth D,formed on the rear endsv of cutting-blades D, having semicircular recesses to adapt them .to fit on the shaft 0. The prongs of the blades D may be shaped as shown in Fig. 3, or have anyother suitable shape, but in all cases should have a point and a tapered or knife edge, as shown in Figl 4. Each blade D is provided in its outer edge with an offset orshoulder, D, and in the edge above the prong D with a recess, D

Stirrups E areQpassed over the blades in such a manner that the cross-piece of in which the prongs of the successive pairs of blades projects'being alternately at right angles to each other, as shown in the ground plan, Fig. 2; The blades'can be fastened or unfastened very easily and rapidly, and no bolts, screws, or like fastening devi'ces'are used.

Within the lower end of each frame B a polygonal wheel, F, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) is mounted on each end of the shaft 0, and over said wheel or wheels F an endless link-chain, G, passes within each frame B, the upper end of each link passing over a like polygonal wheel, F, mounted within the upper end of each frame B on atransverse shaft,

H, which is rotated by means of one or two steam-engines, I, the steam for which is furnished by one or more steam boilers, I, adjacent to said engines. On each alternate link of the chain G a bucket, J, is fastened, on the outer side of which a series of prongs, J. are fastened at the open end. Said prongs J are forked, and the outer side of the bucket is inser'ted between the shanks of the prongs, and

'ject in opposite directions, and the direction rivets are passed through said shanks and the outer sides of the buckets, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The lower ends of the framesB are connected 5 with cables or chains K, passed over pulleys K and secured to a drum, K, .of an engine at the front end of the scow. On an upright frame, T, on the rear end of the scow, which frame is suitably braced and stiffened, a frame, M, is pivoted, which can be inclined downward and from the rear end of the scow. Said frame M consists of side pieces and two center pieces, as shown in Fig. 2; or it may consist of a greaternumber of center pieces, as may be desired. A chain, N, or cable is connected to the frame M at its outer end, passes over suitable pulleys, L, and is connected with a drum of an engine, W, whereby the frame M can be raised or lowered.

An endless link-chain, O, is provided at each sideof the frame M and at the middle, said chain passing over polygonal wheels or drums O, mounted on the upper and lower ends of the frame M, as in ordinary bucket-elevators. On the links of the chain 0 buckets P are fastened, which have an approximately U'shaped crosssectiomand extend from the sides to the center piece of the frame M, or, if desired, may

. be extended entirely across the frame M. On the outer surface of each bucket P a series of sharp-pointed prongs, Q, are bolted or riveted, the ends of which project beyond the edges of thebuckets. The engine W revolves the shaft carrying the upper polygonal pulleys or wheels, 0, on the upper end of the frame M.

7 On the lower end of the frame M a guard or scoop, S, is provided, which extends the entire width of the same, or from each end to the middle, as shown in Fig. 2, and which serves to scoop up and gather the loosened pieces of phosphate rock.

The operation is as follows: While the scow is being towed to the place where the phosphate rock is to be raised the frames B B and M are raised, so as to be out of the water. \Vhen the desired ..place is reached, the front ends of the frames B are lowered until the prongs on the shaft 0 are on the bed of the river. The frame M is also lowered until its guard S at the lower end also rests on the bed of the river. The shaft H is then revolved by the engines I 1, whereby the buckets below the frames B are moved down and the buckets above the frame are moved upward, whereby the shaft 0 is revolved in the direction of the arrow 1), Fig. 1, the prongs of the blades D cutting into the rocks in the bed of the river and loosening and disintegrating the same. The loosened portions of the rocks at the sides of thescow are raised by the elevator-buckets. The scow is slowly drawn forward in the direction of the arrow a, and the pieces of rock that have been loosened by the prongs of the blades of the shaft G are guided by the guard S and are lifted bythe buckets P of the frame M and are deposited on the deck of the scow. The e1evator-buckets of the rear frame, M, pick up the rock that has passed between the front frames, B.

The machine can be passed over the same part of the river a number of times successively, the depth of the river being gradually increased.

Having thus described my invention, I'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A machine for raising phosphate rock, consisting of a scow or float, a shaft suspended infront of and below the bottom of the scow, which shaft is provided with blades, abucketelevator at the rear end of the float andworking entirely clear of the same, whereby the width of the elevator may be equal to that of the scow, and driving mechanism for operating the bucket-elevator, and the shaft carrying the blades, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. A machine for raising phosphate rock, consisting of a scow or float provided at each side with a swinging endless bucket-elevator frame, said frames having their lower ends at the front part of the vessel connected by a shaft carrying blades, and with a bucket-elevator frame at the rear end of the vessel, the width of said rear elevator-frame being equal to the width of the vessel, substantially as shown and described.

'3. In a machine for raising phosphate rock, the combination, with a scow, of an inclined frame at each side, bucket-chains on the inclined frames, a shaft provided with blades uniting said side frames at the front end of the vessel, a bucket-elevator chain at the rear end of the vessel, and separate engines for imparting motion to said bucket-chains at the front and rear parts of the vessel, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a shaft, of blades having chrved recesses to adapt them to fit on the shaft, and prongs which can be passed into recesses in the shaft, and of stirrups passed over the blades for the purpose of holding them on the shaft, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the shaft 0, having the longitudinal grooves G, of the blades D, having the prongs D, which can be passed into the grooves C, the shoulders or offsets D, the notches D and of the stirrups E, placed over the blades and having their shoulders resting against the cross-piece E, and the keys E, passed through apertures in the shanks of the stirrups, substantiallyas shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL J. GILCHRIST.

Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, CARL KARP. 

